Originally written in February of 2014, I just reposted this due to this week's landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage throughout the United States. ***

Kansas and Arizona recently delved into legislation allowing legal discriminate by refusing services to people because of their sexual preference, gender identity, or marital status. These states claim that the mere presence of the LGBT community violates their religious beliefs.

Are they in good company? What other countries in the world claim that their religion justifies legal opposition to homosexuality?

This is a short list of the 84 countries in the world that have laws against homosexuality:Afghanistan IranSyriaLibya Saudi ArabiaRussiaPakistanUkraineSierra LeoneSomalia Sudan And a few other scary places you may have heard of…Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arizona? In fact there are still anti-homosexuality laws on the books in 14 states, also including Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia, even though those laws were ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003 with Lawrence v. Texas. So to all of you “Patriots,” conservatives, religious fundamentalists, and others who think that homosexuality should be illegal, I want to ask you a serious question: I’m NOT asking you to defend why your beliefs are aligned with those of Russia, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and other rogue or enemy nations, or places that are hotbeds of terrorism. I am NOT asking you to consider why all other industrialized, affluent, and well-educated countries in the world do not share your opinion. I am certainly NOT asking you to change your beliefs, but I AM asking you this: How about allowing others to exist peacefully and under the full protection of the law with their beliefs, just as you have the freedom to enjoy yours? That's it - just asking you to live and let live and perhaps watch the company your keep. Whadya say?-Norm :-)

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Norm Schriever

Norm Schriever is a best-selling author, expat, cultural mad scientist, and enemy of the comfort zone. He travels the globe, telling the stories of the people he finds, and hopes to make the world a little bit better place with his words.

Norm is a professional blogger, digital marketer for smart brands around the world, and writes for the Huffington Post, Hotels.com, and others.